


Bare

by lrceleste



Series: Fate has something in store for we two [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Background Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-16 16:39:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7275793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lrceleste/pseuds/lrceleste
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where soulmates have the first words the other will say on their wrist. Jesse McCree lost his with his hand and Hanzo Shimada is uptight and determined to kill him, but Jesse just can't leave him alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, so this is my first ever Overwatch fic! I'm always open to constructive criticism, especially when it comes to character voices and canon.
> 
> I'll update tags and possibly the rating if the fic goes on.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Omnics don’t have markings; each one was fairly individual, sure, but no machine could calculate how the heart works, even a robotic heart. McCree had lost his marking along with his left hand, writing that had been gone so long he could barely remember it, in a language he could never understand.

Maybe in that respect Omnics were lucky, yeah so half the world still hated them, but they could make their own path, not spend their life hung up on the fact there was obviously some sort of cosmic plan for them, some sort of plan he’d lost the details to a long time ago.

Jesse’s problem was that since blackwatch he’d been all over the world, and how was he supposed to know which sentence was the one that had been on his wrist, when he’d been greeted and chased away a thousand times in a hundred different languages. He reckoned he’d know when the moment came, if it hadn’t already been and gone. Either that or Jesse was free, no marking to keep him back, and in truth he wasn’t sure which option sounded more unsettling.

-

Hanzo Shimada had a completely different and yet not holy unrelated predicament. Since his mark had made itself known Hanzo had paid little attention to it, Genji, the one with no marking, was better suited to the daydreaming that one afforded. As future leader Hanzo already had a future partner found for him when his marking appeared, one that would allow for future leaders, one whom he had already met, and had certainly not greeted him with _that._ It had been simple enough to hide it amongst the blue ink that later adorned his skin.

Of course life had curious plans for them all, the return of the brother he had killed, and joining yet another illegal organisation, though this one with honourable intentions, had not been a part of the life he had planned, yet he found himself working alongside Genji for the reformed Overwatch.

“You’ve already met Angela and Fareeha, at the base,” ‘Tracer’ mentioned quickly, far too chipper for Hanzo’s liking when he could feel Genji beside him and had no idea what may lie on the other side of the door on his first mission with the team.

“There’s a team already heading to the extraction point,” Fareeha reiterated, her tone of voice far more appropriate, “We’re back-up.”

“And this is our stop,” Tracer called back as the door began to lower and she disappeared from view for a moment, reappearing several feet away, Dr Ziegler and Fareeha flying after her.

“You may wish to learn how to keep up, brother,” Genji suggested as he too darted through the door, jumping easily over a van. With a sigh Hanzo followed, pleased that he hadn’t lost the agility from his youth and that he was able to follow Genji’s path almost exactly. Hanzo had very little time to take in the scenery, but he knew the streets, Hanamura had changed very little since his departure almost a decade ago, and it had not changed at all since his visit only months before.

It was easy enough to find their objective, just head towards the sound of gunfire. Gates that had been closed for so long had been blown open and Hanzo had to wonder if he would know those on the other side. Tracer stood in what cover the doors remains afforded, hands on hips and speaking rather animatedly with a stout man that all the while repaired a turret.

Hanzo was close enough to hear the man yelling in reply, “They’ve got us in a chokehold there’s no way we can get through the doors without clearing some of them out first.”

“Have you tried going over the top?” Hanzo asked, hearing a quiet chuckle, almost like Genji’s.

“Going over?!” The small man cried, “well why don’t ya be my guest an’ try that!”

“Hanzo,” Tracer interjected, “this is Torbjörn, our mechanical expert. Torbjörn, Hanzo, Genji’s brother.”

“Well howdy there darlin’,” a voice welcomed from behind, heavily accented and its owner out of breath.

Back stiff, Hanzo’s hands went into position subconsciously, nocking an arrow and pulling back the bowstring so that his fingertips brushed against his cheek. He turned quickly, the head of the arrow in the face of very startled cowboy whose eyes were wide with confusion, and whose hand was quickly drawing his own weapon.

-

When Jesse had more than enough time to pull out peacemaker and aim it he figured it was just a show, and carefully stepped out of the way of the arrows aim and turned to the frankly beautiful man that had been a fingers twitch away from putting an arrow through his skull. “Now calm down there.”

“In case you boys haven’t noticed we’ve got a mission to attend to,” Fareeha stated as she landed on the ground with a crash.

Jesse could only watch as the man snarled, spinning towards the blown open entrance, yelling in a language that McCree didn’t understand and released his arrow in a torrent of blue light that spiralled into form. He’d seen Genji’s dragon before, but this, well it was something else.

“The path is now clear,” the eldest Shimada stated, glancing at Jesse only long enough to scowl, before scaling the wall and disappearing from sight.

The rest of the team ran forth, taking advantage of the momentary confusion two giant dragons must have caused amongst the goons, but Genji paused for a moment. Not for the first time McCree found himself wishing that Omnics or cyborgs or whatever the hell, had a way of expressing emotion.

After a tense moment Genji finally spoke, the words not what he had expected, “I think he likes you.”

Jesse laughed as the samurai scaled the wall, shouting as he summoned his own dragon. Trust his luck.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesse is persistent and Hanzo is not so subtly annoyed.
> 
> I don't speak Japanese so just assume that when Genji and Hanzo speak to one another alone it's in Japanese. 
> 
> I just want to say thank you to everyone who left kudos or a comment, and for those of you who actually came to my blog to tell me you enjoyed this! It means a bunch, but I'm afraid I'm not very good at replying to comments. (Also sorry the chapters are so short)

The mission was a success, unsurprisingly after several of the clan had been disposed of by two spirit dragons they were less than ready for an assault, thankfully Hanzo didn’t recognise any of them; it made it easier to loose his arrows. Behind the gates it had been much the same as he remembered, the cherry blossoms blooming as they had been when he had left. Days spent training, and the occasional day spent misbehaving with his brother. Life had not been simple then, but it had been orderly, there had been plans and he had understood what was expected of him. Given the choice Hanzo would surely choose those days over these, Genji whole, life certain and not free, but content.

“We are returning to the base… the cowboy, really brother?” Genji asked, a quiet laugh.

“Do you feel nothing for this place?” Hanzo asked, resolutely staring at the falling petals avoiding the question and thus the answer, the answer he did not wish to dwell on.

“How could I not? But this is no longer my home,” Genji answered, not pressing for the answer, not as the Genji he knew would have.

“I regret being unable to change Genji’s mind.”

There was a pause, before the cyborg simply stated, “I do not… not anymore.”

Hanzo could hear the quiet tapping of mechanical feet against the stone floor as what remained of his brother left their home.

-

Mission complete they returned to the watchpoint, ready for the free breakfast in the morning. There was a small canteen at the base from the days when Overwatch had been a larger organisation, but now they all sat around one table, all of them except the newest recruit who sat as far away as the room would allow, nothing before him but a cup of coffee.

“Is he alright?” Lena asked, leaning forward and whispering so that they wouldn’t be overheard.

“It appears he prefers solitude,” Genji stated. It had been a while before Genji had joined them at the morning table, not needing to eat and all that made his being there more of a formality than a necessity.

“I’m going over there,” Jesse explained, before rising to from the table to a chorus of good lucks, both sarcastic and genuine, and Torbjörn grumbling, “It’s your funeral.”

McCree sauntered over to the table, receiving no indication that his approach had been noticed, until he was practically standing over the table and received a quick glance.

“So, Handzo?”

“Han-zo there is no D,” was the sour reply that Jesse received, Hanzo not even looking up from his coffee.

With a nervous chuckle McCree joked, “Well maybe not yet but if you play your cards right there could be.”

That gained him Hanzo’s attention in the form of wide eyes and mouth hanging open ever so slightly, transforming into thick brows pulled together and a glare that almost made Jesse’s manhood shrivel.

“Sorry, ah, subtlety has never been a speciality of mine.”

“I could never have guessed,” Hanzo spat, eyes returning to his drink.

“So, what I actually came over here to do was ask if you’d like to join us darlin’? We’re bunch of damn misfits but don’t worry, we don’t bite or anythin’.”

“I think I shall pass.” Hanzo grumbled, and it was the final words they exchanged that day.

As they all climbed into the military grade beds that night (none of them had missed them in their time away) Jesse considered his options, the sensible option which most men would take would be to understand that his company wasn’t wanted and to give up on a lost cause. Jesse, however, had always thought of himself as not quite a normal man, and as Torbjörn’s snoring kicked into gear he figured he had a while before sleep claimed him, a while to consider just how he should approach the ferocious creature that was Hanzo. Hanzo, who had apparently managed to capture his attention, more than any other, with nothing but disdain and the occasional scowl.

_Damn Jesse you sure do pick them…_

-

Part way through breakfast Jesse tipped back his hat and rose through the table, Dr Ziegler giving a quiet, “Please no.”

“Sorry Angie, I’ve got me a samurai to wrangle.”

“Technically Hanzo is rōnin,” Genji muttered.

“Please just let me have this,” Jesse begged as he strode away from the table.

Hanzo looked up from his morning coffee with nothing but mild annoyance and exasperation and Jesse approached, he supposed it was one step further than the complete dismissal he had received the day before.

“How are you this fine morning, Handsoap?”

Jesse stood for a moment, smiling as he watched the way Hanzo’s nose scrunched up rather adorably with his scowl, before Hanzo asked, “Why do you insist on pestering me?”

“Hey, just thought I’d keep a guy company,” McCree admitted.

“Did you not stop to think perhaps I chose my solitude to be rid of the likes of you?”

Hissing in mock hurt Jesse said, “That cuts real deep sugar, cuts _real_ deep.”

“ _Sugar,_ ” Hanzo stated no question in his tone, just disgust.

“Alright sugar’s off the list. So, would you like to join us this morning toots?”

“No.”

-

“Morning ham-zoo,” Jesse greeted as he strode into the firing range, this time he received an audible groan as Hanzo loosed an arrow into a dummy with a picture of a suspiciously familiar hat tacked to its forehead.

“I suppose you mean to ask me if I would like to join you for breakfast,” Hanzo questioned as he fired another arrow directly into the skull of the mannequin.

“Not this morning buttercup,” Jesse assured, waiting for the reaction that was a simple roll of the eyes, and thankfully not an arrow in his own skull. “We’ve got a mission; I got to shoot up some of your guys I only see it’s fair to return the favour.”

“Are we headed to the old west?” Hanzo asked, his tone serious but the faint smile on his lips gave him away.

“Close enough,” Jesse laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm afraid I haven't had much time to look over this so there might be some mistakes but if I find any I'll edit it tomorrow.
> 
> Again, thank you so much for all of the feedback!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys super sorry but I added extra to the chapter, I'll put a note on the next chapter to catch anyone who hasn't read the bit yet but the next chapter was getting rather long so I decided to throw in a little extra

Given the choice Jesse would have chosen somewhere else, anywhere else. He hated this damn stretch of road, and being woken in the middle night for his watch didn’t make the matters any better, it just meant he had more time to ponder over why he hated the place so damn much. He knew why of course, he’d done many mission along this road, both with overwatch and with other shadier groups before them. This was where Gabriel found him.

All well and good mourning the guy that had given you a second chance at life, but a reminder for the future, he should make sure the next person he decides to miss is actually dead so he doesn’t get a surprise when they try to put a bullet through his head.

The safe house here was mostly the same, so much so that he expected to find old photos and memorabilia from missions gone by. Thankfully he didn’t.

Checking the watch for what must have been the twentieth time in the last hour Jesse was pleased to finally see that it was drawing close to the three hour mark and he could finally make the swap. Unfortunately he’d been given the job of waking the sleeping dragon, a job he wasn’t particularly looking forward to.

Thankfully this watchpoint had separate rooms, enough that the girls (Lena, Hana and Angela this time round) could have their own, and the guys could share what was left. That put Reinhardt and his night time wanderings in one room, because McCree wasn’t repeating that mistake when he was now extremely aware that the guy could lift McCree effortlessly over his head, and he and Hanzo sharing for the night.

Well, he mused as he rose to his feet, there was no time like the present.

-

_“It is what must be done,” Hanzo states sadly, gripping his katana so tightly that his knuckles pale._

_“It is what they told you must be done,” Genji spits back, coughing out the last word as he clutches his side, his own weapon hanging useless at his hip as he struggles to stay upright. His green hair is splattered with red, a long cut running from forehead to cheek._

_Hanzo raises his katana. “I have no choice.”_

_Genji laughs, “There is always a choice brother.”_

_The younger Shimada lifts his own katana in a week attempt at defence, but as Hanzo steps forward, leg screaming in protest, katana already coming down he here’s the clatter of metal on wood, too loud but so far away from what his happening. A voice calls his name, but it is not Genji’s._

“Hey, Hanzo?”

 _He pulls back the sword, swinging it instead at the intruder._ His fist connected with the assailant and he heard a long string of profanities as darkness consumed his vision. He sat bolt upright and hit the lamp beside the bed as he searched about the room. All that he can truly make out was Jesse McCree sat in the middle of the floor, holding his nose and continuing to swear, his hat is misplaced yet even without it Hanzo could tell where it must usually sit atop his head, hair flat until it flicked out where the brim must usually sit. It takes longer than he would happily admit for realisation to dawn on him, and when it finally does he crouches, trying to inspect the damage he has caused, whilst trying to fight back rising laughter.

“You’ve got a decent right hook there,” McCree states, finally letting go of his noise and trying to inspect the damage.

“There is no blood, you will be fine… Why were you hovering over me?”

“It’s your watch,” Jesse explained, “That and… Are you alright?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You must have been dreaming or something, you were rolling all over the place.”

“Yes…” Hanzo replied hesitantly pulling on clothing, “That must be it.”

Jesse began to remove his boots and cloak, before hesitating for a moment. “You wearing that?”

Hanzo looked down at his usual attire; half of his chest exposed and stated, “Yes.”

McCree’s face scrunched in thought for a moment before he grabbed his cloak and laid it over Hanzo’s arm.

“My serape should keep you warm,” he explained be before quickly turning on his heel and walking rather quickly into the tiny bathroom, pulling the door closed behind him. In the dim light Hanzo could have sworn he had seen the faintest of pink in the cowboy’s cheeks.

-

“McCree,” Hanzo said, clearing his throat to gain attention.

Jesse looked up, surprise evident in his features as Hanzo stood over their table instead of sitting alone in the corner he had claimed in this watchpoint.

“Are you joining us?” Lena asked.

“No,” Hanzo answered, “I merely wanted to return this.”

Hanzo may not have been sure the night before, but he was certain of Jesse’s blush then as McCree looked down, his cheeks reddening as he slowly took back his serape. “Well, that’s mighty kind of you.”

“Do not worry about it, Macaroni,” Hanzo suggested as he turned his back on the table, the curious whispers already audible. It had become apparent that no matter his actions the cowboy intended to continue his fun, Hanzo only saw it fit to play the game. It would still lead to nothing, he would not allow it.

-

Jesse had to wonder why of all the diners in America, it was this shittiest little dive off the beaten track that had become a hub for illicit activities. He was surprised enough to find that in all those years no one had decided to clear the train from the entrance of the building. Then again who would be stupid enough to send government lackeys to a buzzing crime hub?

No instead they sent them, but this was just a recon mission, just a quick glance to see what they were up against. Tracer could be in and out in the same second, and Hanzo had sonic arrows that give them a good idea of what they were dealing with before Tracer went in. Jesse, well he just knew the lay of the land. He suppose there were worse places to be than wandering down the forgotten part of route 66 whilst the sun was starting to set.

“So, Hanzo?” Tracer sang, appearing at his side in a flash of blue.

“It’s nothing,” Jesse stated.

“Come on! The docs not here, you don’t need to worry about her scolding you, just me and you, you can say it.”

“There’s nothing to say, he tried to put an arrow in my head, I try to wind him up.”

“Y’know my soulmate tried to shoot me in the head when we first met too.”

“That’s different though you’ve got that whole Romeo… Juliet and Juliet, that whole forbidden love thing going on. Anyway, who said anything about soulmates?!”

“Come on! It’s obvious innit?”

“I think one of us might have mentioned something it that had been the case.”

“Mentioned what?” Hanzo asked dropping down from one of the ledges on the cliff face.

“Nothing!” Jesse blurted before Lena was able to inform Hanzo of her theory. “Just, ah, just something that happened a long time ago.” The look on Hanzo’s face suggested that he was less than convinced. “So how you doing today Han Solo?”

“That is by far your worst and completely unoriginal.”

“You’re smiling though,” Jesse argued, and it was true, Hanzo’s lips were pulling up in the corners no matter how hard he tried to hide it, turning his face away.

“I’ll scout ahead,” Hanzo explained as he walked away quickly climbing a ledge with skill Jesse could never hope to possess.

Once Hanzo had disappeared over the ridge Jesse turned back to Lena, her goggles pulled down ever so slightly, simply so she could look over them at him in a display that clearly said ‘I told you so’.

They both jumped when they heard gunfire, Lena blinking away for just a moment, Jesse’s fingertips already against his holster, ready to shoot in an instant. There was no further fire, Jesse and Lena both looking to one another for a moment before they heard the thud and both turned each firing a bullet into the cliff side. There was a body, lying face down in growing pool of blood. A body… shit, Hanzo.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always thank you for all of the feedback, I live for it! Sorry this is a little later than planned, life (and overwatch) just got in the way.

 “Hanzo?!” Jesse called, Lena blinking away to stand over Hanzo’s body. It took a moment for Jesse to function, for him to run forward and inspect the damage himself. A sniper shot straight between the eyes.

“Shit, what were we thinking, of course they have lookouts!”

“Don’t beat yourself up, you couldn’t have known,” Lena comforted. They stood for a moment and watched as the body disappeared; at least Winston had demanded they all be put into the system again before they went out on any missions, but shit, what if something wasn’t right? Surely this was Hanzo’s first respawn, what if Jesse was responsible for-...

Lena cut off his train of thought with a smile that only faltered slightly and an ever-cheerful, “We should head back to base; this isn’t going to be as easy as we planned.”

-

Hanzo had seen the sniper on the ledge, he’d reached for his bow and then heard the gunshot, everything had gone black and then pain, which didn’t seem how this was all meant to go. He couldn’t be sure how long it had been since he’d lost his vision, since, he concluded, he had died. Everything came back so suddenly, bright blue light, his limbs heavy enough to pull him to the ground.

“Are you alright?” A voice asked and Hanzo looked up, vision spinning and light still hurting his eyes, there was a damn angel leaning over him, wings stretched out behind them. What had he done in his life to deserve an angel?

“The first times always the hardest,” another voice laughed and the goliath that stood to his left was most certainly not an angel.

The tall figure pulling him to his feet and setting him down on soft cushions, as slowly everything came to focus, Dr Ziegler sat beside him, arm resting reassuringly on his shoulder. “You went through respawn, everything seems in order but it may take some time for you to restabilise.”

“I think I need some air,” Hanzo stated uncertainly.

“Reinhardt…” Angela hinted but Hanzo waved off the gesture.

“I can manage.”

-

Jesse sighed when he finally stepped onto the roof and saw Hanzo looking out over the horizon. Angela had said he was fine but that hadn’t been enough to calm his shot nerves. Walking forward he cleared his throat so as not to startle Hanzo, but with the way he turned he had most likely heard Jesse’s footsteps and elected to ignore him.

“Mind if I join you?” Jesse asked tipping his hat and smiling.

“My opinion has never stopped you before.”

“Well now I’m asking for it, would you mind?”

“I-… No.” Hanzo finally answered, returning his gaze to the horizon, sun barely visible between the cliffs. Jesse sat beside him removing his hat and running his fingers through his hair as was instinct.

“You had me real worried back there for a moment.”

“You need not worry, it was merely a momentary lapse in judgement. I can protect myself.”

“Hell, I know that, I saw you in Hanamura, you took out five of them with your dragons, but when I saw you lying there for a moment I just… y’know?”

“I think I do know, “Hanzo admitted.

“You do? Because even I’m not sure what I mean.” They fell into silence for a moment before Jesse cleared his thought and asked something that had been on his mind from the moment Hanzo had pointed an arrow at his face, “I know considering circumstances this is a pretty loaded question, but d’ya ever think about soulmates and stuff?”

The look on Hanzo’s face was clear surprise, “Why do you ask?”

“I just… When you were sleeping the other night, I wasn’t looking for it mind you, but I didn’t see a marking on you.”

“And I have not seen one on you,” Hanzo countered looking down at Jesse’s rolled up sleeves and blank skin.

“There was, once,” Jesse admitted fingers running over the metal that had replaced his hand. “I don’t know, Lena said some things and it got me thinking that maybe you once had one too.”

“What of it?” Hanzo asked bitterly.

“Hey I can see when I’m stepping on a touchy subject, I didn’t mean to pry,” Jesse apologised and looked out over the horizon without another word.

“And you would leave it at that?!” Hanzo asked, bitterness turned to anger as his voice took on a growl. “You pester me for a week straight, dancing around the issue and then say nothing?! You are by far the most infuriating man I have ever met!”

“Well, what were you expecting me to do?!” Jesse yelled in return.

McCree turned to Hanzo for a moment in confusion and was barely facing him when Hanzo shifted startlingly close, their faces barely inches apart despite the height difference. Before Jesse really had time to comprehend what it meant, to comprehend what was happening, Hanzo had closed the gap, pressing their lips together in a chaste kiss.

Jesse was still for a moment watching Hanzo, eyes shut tight and leaning his head to make up for the difference. When Hanzo’s eyes opened he pulled away sharply, cheeks turning pink as he looked away.

“So..?” Jesse began, prompting Hanzo.

“Do not think on it too long,” Hanzo instructed, voice bitter, “It was nothing, merely a lapse in judgement. I am still confused from the respawn.”

“Whatever you say partner,” Jesse said, unable to hide his smile as Hanzo looked to him for a moment.

“I am going to bed; I would appreciate it if you were gentler when you wake for watch.”

“I can be gentle as you want.”

“ _Good night_ cowboy.”

“Night Handsy.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys so sorry to any of you who saw this last night before I deleted it, I had a little moment.
> 
> Also sorry for forgetting to add to the previous chapter the fact that I altered Chapter 3 after I'd posted it, I hope it made sense to those of you who caught it early.
> 
> This may well be the last chapter, I haven't quite decided yet, but if so thank you to everyone for all of the feedback, the comments and the kudos, they really mean a lot to me!

Jesse lay awake, Hanzo’s soft breathing from the other side of the room indicating that he was in fact asleep, but how could he sleep after that. Jesse mulled it over, everything had been moving quickly, sure he’d had one night stands before, he understood how quickly things could go, but Hanzo didn’t feel like a one night stand, it felt wrong to lump him in with them, especially considering the fact that their little back and forth had been going on for far longer than one night.

Hanzo was something else, and Jesse cringed at the thought that he could never understand his marking, that it had been in a language he couldn’t read, and the first thing Hanzo had said was in Japanese, was his cry as he released his dragons. Shit.

But it made no sense, surely Hanzo would have said something, wouldn’t have been so uptight and abrasive if he’d known that Jesse was his soulmate, if that was what they were.

-

Jesse’s breathing was loud in the small room, quiet but not the even breaths of sleep, which Hanzo had been feigning since the cowboy had entered the room. Sleep was finding it hard to claim him, every time he closed his eyes one of two images flashed before him, the moment he had seen the sniper pull the trigger and the world had gone black, or the marking he’d covered up long ago, the one that had always seemed so impossible, so ridiculous, until Jesse had said ‘well howdy there darlin’.

It had been years since Hanzo had covered the marking with his tattoo, years since he had come to the conclusion that he would simply be one of those people who never found their soulmate, and he was content with that. But this, this lightness that he felt in his chest when he could hear Jesse breathing across the room, still awake and possibly thinking on the same things that Hanzo was. So close that it would only take a few steps for him to lie beside the cowboy

This was never supposed to happen; Jesse was never supposed to happen.

Hanzo climbed from bed slowly, legs aching slightly the way they always did when he climbed from bed, that was the downside of not removing his prosthetics, the positive however being that with the number of enemies he’d accumulated over the years it was far easier to flee or to fight when he had legs.

When Hanzo switched the lamp on Jesse shifted slightly, turning to Hanzo, eyes squinted in the new light even if it was dim.

“Hanzo, you okay?” Jesse asked, rubbing his eyes and sitting up in his bed.

“Do not speak,” Hanzo ordered as he stepped closer to Jesse’s bed, taking a deep breath and kneeling on the sheets, legs on either side of Jesse’s hips.

Jesse’s mouth fell open, about to speak, but for once in his life the brunette was silent, sitting and watching as Hanzo leaned forward, close enough that they could feel one another’s breath on their lips.

“Do you believe what you said earlier, that we are soul mates?”

“So I’m allowed to talk now?” Jesse laughed.

“Do not ruin this.”

“Hey,” Jesse began, tone more serious, “If we’re gonna do- whatever the hell it is we’re doing, you don’ get to pick and choose bits of me. My quick wit and smart remarks are part of the deal. It’s all or nothing.”

Hanzo snorted, “Is that what you call it?”

Jesse smiled, eyes creasing, “To answer yer question, I don’t know if I believe it. But I found myself hoping it was true.”

“We barely know each other.”

“Maybe we should do something about that.”

“What would you propose?” Hanzo asked, voice low, sultry.

“Twenty questions? I’ll start, what’s-” Jesse was cut short as Hanzo pressed their lips together for the second time that day. Pulling away for only a moment McCree laughed, “Or we could do this.”

The kiss was hungrier than their first, lips locked together, Hanzo pressing his tongue to Jesse’s lips, opening the kiss and moving up the cowboy’s thighs. Hanzo reached out, hands curling in Jesse’s hair, softer than he had expected, the lingering sent of smoke on every part of him, a metal hand inhumanly warm against his waist. Hanzo pressed forward, body aching for more contact than he was receiving, he’d been with men before, he knew how this went.

“Hey, slow down their pardner,” Jesse sighed, pulling away further.

“Is there an issue?”

“Yeah, kinda. A few days ago you wanted just about nothing to do with me, what changed?”

“Nothing changed, you were simply wrong to think that.”

There was a pause, Jesse sitting for a moment, looking into Hanzo’s eyes, practically level now that the shorter man was straddling his thighs. “Why’d you try to shoot me that first day?”

Hanzo laughed, a short sharp breath, “If I had been trying to hit you I would have succeeded.”

“Don’t doubt that. But you thought about it. Did I say it, whatever was written under that tattoo of yours?” Hanzo remained silent looking in any direction that would not allow Jesse to meet his gaze. “Obviously there’s something you’re conflicted about. How ‘bout we just cuddle?”

Hanzo’s laugh was stronger this time as he stated, “We are grown men.”

“You tryna tell me you don’t want to cuddle?” Jesse asked, arms already open in anticipation.

Rolling his eyes Hanzo leaned into the embrace, head nestled into the crook of Jesse’s neck, chest hair tickling his cheek. Hanzo stated, “You are a strange man.”

Jesse laughed for a moment wrapping his arms a little tighter, and Hanzo knew that he had been found out, that as McCree’s hand ran lazily over his tattooed arm that there was perhaps a purpose to soulmates, in the way Jesse held him as he could not remember being held.

“That might be so, but I’m yours if you want me.”

“I think… I would like to try.”

**Author's Note:**

> [I have a tumblr if you're interested!](http://butt-watch.tumblr.com/)


End file.
